Territory



(No Model.) 2 sheetssheen V2.

R'. B. POTTS. PLATooN TGUN BATTERY.

No. 573,353. Patented Dee.15,1895d UNITED STATES PATENT OEEieE.

RICHARD B. POTTS, OF EDMOND, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

PLATooN epuN-BATTRY.

sPEcIFIcAfrIoN forming parn'ef 'Letters :Patent No. 573,353, date December 1 5, 189e.

Application filed May 1'1,

1896. seria No. 591,111. ea man.)

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that LRICHARD B. POTTS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Edmond, in the countyof Oklahoma and Territory of Oklahoma, have invented new and useful Improvements in Platoon-Batteries, of which the following is a specification.

This invent-ion relates to a platoon-battcry, and has for its objects to provide a gun-carria-ge upon which a plurality of breech-loading 'magazine-rides or similar small-arms may be mounted and fixed in rng position with great rapidity and little labor and when so mounted may be loaded, cocked, and fired simultaneously, andto provide means carried by the carriage for storing the guns and their attachments when detached.

It also has for its object to provideimproved the manner of a hinge.

ladapted to register with the latter when the 13, having a transwhich when turned a nut 15, tapped over the other end of said bolt, to hold the two plates together. The

nut l is provided with 'a' hand-lever 16, by

l gineans of' which the nut may be quickly guns; and, finally, it has for its object to iinprove the construction and eiciency of this class of batteries generally.

eesses 8 and 9.

To these ends my invention consists in the features and in the construction or arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims following the description, reference being had to the aecompanyin g drawings, forming a part of this speci cation, wherein-` Figure lisa plan View of my improved battery. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the universal joint for supporting the gun-supporting platform. Fig. 3 isavertical sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, and Figs. 1, 5, G, and 7 are detail views of some of thc parts.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the battery-carriage, consisting of an axle 2, wheels 3,

Attached to equivalent fastenings is a plate 6, forming one member of a two-part clamp, said plate being' centrally provided with a cup-shaped recess 7 andnear its opposite ends with slots or re- The slot 9 is preferably rectangular in shape and is longer in one direction than in the other, as shown and for the purpose hereinafter described. A plate 10 forms the other providedwith a cup-shaped `recess .11, corresponding to the recess 7 in the plate 6 and the carriage by bolts 5 orv screwed and unserewed. Seated in the cup- 4shaped recesses in said plates is the spherical end of a pintle 17, provided near .its upper end with a fixed collar 1S, said pintle being threaded and having tapped on said threaded end a nut 1D. The pintle -17 serves as a support for the gun-supportin frame 20, consisting of a bar 2l, swiveled on the upp'er end of the pintle and resting on the collar 18 and secured in place thereon by the nut 19. Upon the upper side of said bar are formed orai'iixed aplurality of collars 22, each adapted for the reception ol the barrel ol a magazine rilie or gun.

To thel under side ot' the bar 21 are pivoted connecting-bars 23, that at their other ends are detachably connected to a bar 21 by means of pivot-bolts 25, that are swiveled in the ends of thc conneeting-bars 23 and are provided with elongated heads 26, that are adapted to be passed through corresponding apertures 27 in the bar 21 and then turned. 21 is provided 28 being adapted for the reception of the for ward ends of the gun-barrels. 'lhe collars 2S and 22 are lpreferably provided with front and rear sights 29, respectively The magazine-guns herein illustrated as mounted in the gun-supporting frame 20 are the well-known Winchester rifles, in which a vibrating hand-lcver operates mechanism through said slot.

0 maybe withdrawn ICC to eject the empty shell, place a cartridge in the breech, and set the tiring mechanism, and a trigger operates to release the firing mechanism to discharge the gun. The construetion of the lVinchester ritle is so well known to those skilled in the art that a detailed description or illustration of the same is unnecessary. rlhe barrels of the guns 30 are inserted in the collars?? and 2S, and to one side of each of the gun-barrels is attached the forward end of a flat spring 31, the free end of which is bent inward toward the barrel to form a shoulder 32, said spring, when the barrel is inserted in the collars 22 and 2S, lying ilat against the barrel to permit its free passage through said collars, but springing laterally away from the barrel when the latter has been thrust forward fully into place, so as to cause the shoulder 32 to abut against the front side of the collarQS andv prevent the recoil of the gun. The levers 33, thatopcrate the mechanism for ejecting the empty shells,feeding the cartridgesinto the breeches,' and setting the rin g mechanism in the usual manner, are detachably connected to a leverbar Si, common to all of said levers, in the following manner: The bar 3i is provided with a series of slots 35 ofthe proper size and shape to receive the ends of said levers. To the opposite sides of said levers are attached flat springs 36, which near their free ends are bent to form depressions 37, and the adjacent sides of the lever opposite said depressionsare provided with corresponding indentures 38, in which the depressed portions of the springs are adapted to seat. The springs 36 normally project at their free endsfrom the sides of the leversl 33 in such manner that their depressed portions are thrown outward in opposite directions. To attach the leverbar 3l to thelevers 33, it is only necessary to slip the slotted portions of said lever-bar over the ends of the levers, -when the springs 3G will be compressed against the sides of the leers until the bar reaches the depressions 37, upon which the springs will spread outwardly and grasp the lever-bar, forming a rigid attachment between the lever-bar and the levers. A trigger-bar 3 provided with slots 40, is also attached to the ends of the triggers 41,' the triggers bein gl provided with springs .42, that operate ltoyhold the trigger-bar in place upon the/griggers in the same manner that the lever yar is attached to the levers, andlwh-ich need not, therefore, be more fully described.

Attached to the axle 2 of the carriage is a l gun and ammunition chest 43, in' which may be stored the guns and, their attachments when dismounted and a limited supply of ammunition. g v

4The operation of l'my improved battery is as follows: Assuming that the parts are set up in position for operation, as. above` described and that it is desired to dismount the guns and their attachments for transportation,-the trigger-bar and lever-bar are re-/ .bar therefrom.

moved from the triggers'and -levers by compressingthe springs 36 and 42 and slipping said bars from off'th'e ends of the-triggers and levers. The springs 31 on the gun-barrels are then compressed andthe guns withdrawn from the collars 22 and 2S on thek gunsupporting frame, andthe bar 2t is next removed by turning the bolts 25 and lifting the The connecting-bars 23, are inally swung underneath the bar 21, in which position they are out of the way and protected from injury. The guns, the bar 2t, and the lever and trigger bars are then stored in the chest-(1:3, upon whichv the entire device is ready for transportation without liability of damage' to any of the parts.

To set up the battery for operation t-he above-described operation is reversed, the bai1 24: being iirst attached to the connectingbars 23, the guns next slipped into their collars, and the trigger and lever bars finally slipped over the ends of the tri vers. ln, this operation the springs on the guns and on the triggers and levers automatically snap into place, permitting the battery to be set up for action almost instantaneously. Vhen ready for action, all the guns may be simultaneously aimed by turning the gunsupporting frame upon its pintle 17 by first ggers and le-- slightly loosening the hand-nut 15 of the clamp, and after the guns have been properly aimed thev hand-nut is tightened., holding them rigidly in position for firing. 'The spherical-headed pintle and its clamp form a ball-and-socket joint, whereby the guns may be .freely trained in every direction. When correctly aimed, all the guns' are simultaneously fired by oscillating the trigger-bar 39 rearward, thus releasing the tiring mechanism of each gun and causing the guns tojtire a volley. After the guns have been discharged they are simultaneously' prepared for firing anothervolley by oscillating the ICO lever-bar 34 rearward and then forward,

which operates the mechanism for ejecting the shells, feeding new cartridges into place, and setting the tiring mechanism. These operations may be continuously repeated, whereby volleys follow one another with great rapidity.

I have illustrated my improved battery as provided with a series of Vinehester rifles, but it will be readily understood that guns of a similar type may be substituted for those shown. 4 w Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a platoon-battery, the 'combination with awheeled carriage, of: a plurality oi magazine-guns detachably niounted on said carriage, means for simultaneously charging and setting in iiringposition said guns, means for simultaneously firing the guns, andI a chest-carried by the carriage for the 'storage of the guns and'their attachments when detached, substantially as described.

"2. In a platoon-battery, the combinati@ with a wheeled carriage, of a gun-supportin g frame 2O mounted thereon, a plurality of coincident collars 22 and 28 fixed on said frame v for the reception of a plurality of guns, means 5 for simultaneously loading and discharging said guns, and springs 31 arranged on the gun-barrels and operating to engage the collars 22 to prevent the recoil of the guns, substantially as described.

1o 3. In a platoon-battery, the combination with a Wheeled carriage, of a gun-supporting frame mounted thereon and provided with means for detachably holding a plurality of guns said frame' consisting of a bar 21 .at-

`15 tached to the carriage by a universal joint.

connecting-bars 23 pivotally connected at their rear ends to said bar 21, and a bar 24 detachably connected to the forward ends of the said connecting-bars, substantially as dezo scribed.

4'. In a platoon-battery, the combination with a wheeled carriage, ofa gun-supporting frame 20 mounted thereon and consisting of a bar 21 attached to the carriage bya univer- 25 sal joint, connecting-bars 23 pivotally connected at their rear ends to said bar 21, and having swiveled in their forward ends pivotbolts 25 provided with elongated heads 26, a bar 24 having-slots 27 for the reception of the heads ol` said bolts, and means .carried by thesaid bars'21 and 24 for detachably holding a plurality of guns, substantially as described. In a platoon-battery, the combination 3 5 with a w'vheeled carriage, of a two-part clamp consisting of a.plate 6 fixed on the carriage, a plate 10 movablyconneeted to said plate 6, said plates being provided with cup-shaped recesses 7 and 11, a spindle 17 having a spherical head seated in said recesses, means for clamping the plates G and 10 about the spherical head, a gun-supporting frame mounted on said spindle, and means for detachably mounting a plurality of guns on said frame, substantially as described.

.porting frame, .mounted on said frame and each provided (i. In a platoon-battery, the combination with a wheeled carriage, of a two-part clamp consisting of a plate 6 fixed on the carriage,

a plate 1 0 attached at one end by a hinged connection tothe plate 6, a bolt 1 3 adjustably 5o connecting thee/'other endsof said plates, the said plates being' provided with cup-shaped recesses 7 and 11, a spindle 17 havinga spherical head seated in said recesses,a'gunsup porting frame swiveled on said spindle, and means for detachably mounting a plurality of guns on saidvfr'ame, substantially as de- I scribed.

7. In a platoonbattery,. the combination with a wheeled carriage carrying a gun-sup- 6o porting frame, a plurality of magazine-guus detachably mounted on said frame each havl ing a lever 33 for operating the ejecting andv loading mechanism, and a trigger 41, and a 1 lever-bar 34 and trigger-bar 39 detachably 65 connected to said levers and triggers for simultaneously loading and tiring all the guns, substantially as described. I

8. In a platoon-batter the combination with a wheeled carriage carrying a gun-sup- 7o magazine guns detachably with'a lever 33 for operating the ejecting 'and loading mechanism, and a trigger 41, springs 36 and 42 respectively'attached at one end to "75 the said levers and triggers and provided at their free ends with shouldered recesses, and

a lever-bar 34 and trigger-bar 39 each provided with a plurality of slots to permit'the passage therethrough of the ends of the said 8o levers and triggers, the springs 36 and 42 operating to engage and hold said bars in place, substantially as described'.

. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence oftwo subscribing Wit- DGSSGS.

Y Y RICHARD B.'POTTS.

iVitnesses:

GUY F. SMITH, JOHNM. DAVIS. 

